Aerial bomb



Patented Qct. 26, 115,43v

UNITED STATES ParfrfzNTolfFlczEv AERIAL BOMB Wallace F. Rouse, Havelock, Iowa Application December 8, 1939, Serial No. 308,186

1 Claim.

'I'he principal object of this invention is to provide an aerial bomb which will, after being released, be propelled through the air in addition to its normal fall by gravity to assure penetration and destruction of heavy armaments such as concrete forts and the armored decks of vessels.

A further object of my invention is to provide an aerial bomb which may be released from an airplane or like and whose propelling force will be set in motion after the bomb is safely clear of the airplane or like from which it is dropped.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a self-propelling aerial bomb which will propel itself at great velocity and in excess of the normal falling rate of the bomb for increasing accuracy on moving targets and for increasing the destructive force of the aerial bomb.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such a bomb wherein the propelling mechanism is economical in manufacture, durable, efllcient and reliable in use.

These and other objects will be A'apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained las hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which?` Fig. l is a side elevational view of my complete bomb.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top cross-sectional view of a portion of the rearward end of the bomb with the plug or cap removed. v

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view of the rearward end of the bomb more fully showing its structure.

One o'f the greatest phases of warfare is aerial bombardment of military objectives, but to be ef. fective, the bombs must have great penetrating qualities in addition to high explosive force. This has not heretofore been found in such aerial bombs or torpedos and a great deal of the effectiveness of the bomb is lost by its failure to penetrate heavy armor, such as the deck armor of a battleship or the concrete and steel structure of ground emplacements. These bombs heretofore used relied merely upon the force of gravity and after a certain terminal of velocity of the bomb has been reached, it will not go much faster. This speed has been found ineective for adequate penetration of modern armaments. Furthermore, this slow speed makes the bomb more susceptible to varying wind velocities and harder to accurately place due to the great length of time come such disadvantages as will be appreciated and as will be more fully set forth.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral I0 to designate the bomb case having in its nose the usual detonator II and Awhich case, as

is generally known, is filled with high explosives. The numeral I2 'indicates the usual :dns secured to the bomb`shell adjacent the tail and for maintaining direct fiight ofthe bomb. It is to such a bomb thatI add my propulsion means as I will now describe. The numeral I3 indicates a chamber formed in the rearward end of the bomb shell into which is placed a plurality of tubes Il. These tubes I4 contain a combustible composition I5 such as is generally employed in rocket propelled mechanisms. At the rearward end of the bomb is a threadedcup receptacle I6 into which is threaded a plug or cap I1.

The numeral I8 indicates a propellerl rigidly secured tothe plug or cap member Il'. In such a manner that when the bomb has attained' cer tain velocity, the force of the air acting upon the propeller I8 will turn the plug I1, unscrewing it and detaching it from the receptacle I6. The numerals I9 indicatea plurality of holes, each registering with one of the tubes AI4 and filled with a combustiblepowder train for igniting the rocket composition or powder I5. These holes I9 are connected in the center through the medium of the veins for, passageways 20, as shown in the drawing. The numeral'2l indicates a detonating cap placed over lthe Junction of the passageways 20 'as shown in the drawings. The numeral 22 indicates the powder train positioned within the holes' I9', the veins 20 and adjacent the percussion cap or detonator 2i. I have used the numeral 23 to indicate a receiving opening in the bottom portion of the plug I1 for receiving'the cap 2|, positioned to one side of the cup member I6 and in communication therewith is a chamber 24. The numeral 25 indicates an elongated mechanism having its lower end pivotally secured to the case I0 in a suitable manner. The numeral 26 indicates a compression spring acting on a. portion of the, hammer member 25 land capable oi forcing the hammer member 25 to strike the percussion cap 2i after-.the plug Il -has become detached from the housing. It will here be noted that the hammer 25 rides on the threads of the plug I'I and is prevented from striking-the cap 2| until the plug Il has cleared the chamber I8.

It will here be noted that the bottom portion of the plug Il is free of threads so that the plug I'I will clear the end of the chamber is rapidly, thereby releasing the hammer and assuring the ignition of the rocket composition only after the plug il has cleared the chamber i8.

I have used the numeral 21 to designate a hole through the casing i and entering into the chamber 24 to the rear of the hammer 25. This hole is for the purpose of permitting the hammer to be held in its cocked position while placing the plug il into the rear of the bomb during the fabrication of this portion of the bomb.

In most modern bombing planes or aircraft, the bombs are kept within the fuselage of the aircraft and it is therefore not necessary to take precautions against the propeller turning accidentally, however should the bomb be carried on the outside of the aircraft, the rearward release can be so turned as to prevent the propeller i8 from turning while the aircraft is in night.

Obviously any type of timed mechanism for removing the plug Il may be used such as a delayed fuse or the like and the chamber i3 may obviously be lled with any type of propelling charge such as high compressed gases, liquid air or other compositions which may be released either by an ignition means or merely by the release of the plug from the chamber i6.

'I'he practical operation of my device is as follows:

The rearward end of the bomb case i0 having the rocket tubes I4 therein and the rocket composition or combustible l5 withinthe tubes is placed for use as follows:

The holes i9 and the veins 20 are lled with the ignition charge or powder train 22 and the detonating cap or primer 2i is placed over the central junction of the veins 20. `Obviously as many of the rocket tubes as is deemed necessary may be placed within this rearward end of the bomb, dependent upon the size of the bomb and the velocity it is desired to atttain. The hammer 25 is placed in a cocked position and held there by placing a suitable hook, string or like through the hole 21, and the plug I1 is then threaded into the receptacle I 6 to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The means for holding the hammer in a cocked position is then removed and the propelling mechanism is in a position ready for use. When the bomb is released from the carrier of a plane or like onto its objective, the bomb will drop, nose rst, and after a certain velocity of the bomb has been reached, the air acting' against the propeller` blades i8 will cause the plug I 1 to' unscrew from the chamber IB. As this plug l1 un-g screws and is released from the chamber or cup portion i6, the hammer 25 will be released and the spring 26 will force this hammer tothe position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby detonating the primer 2i igniting the powder train in the veins 2li, which in turn will ignite the powderv in the holes I9 and thence will ignite the rocket composition I`5 within the tubes i4.' The impelling force ot the escaping gas will be forced .out through the holes i9 with great rapidity, thereby impelling the bomb in its already attained direction of flight. This vwill increase the speed of the bomb even when that bomb is dropped by a diving bomber and will give it such force as to drive it deeply into armor plate before the bomb explodes. This will also maire possible the use of timed detonator fuses in the nose of the bomb for delaying the explosionof the bomb until penetration has been attained. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a bomb which fulfills all of my objects and presents many more obvious advantages.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved aerial bomb without departing from the yreal spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover byl my claim any modified forms of structure or useof mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within its scope.

I claim:

In a device of the class described, a bomb housing having an open chamber in its rear portion, a rocket tube in said chamber designed to contain a combustible material, a means for holding ignition material adjacent said rocket tube, a percussion cap adjacent said last mentioned means, a plug element threaded into the open chamber of said housing, a propeller on said plug element; said bomb housing having a compartment in its open chamber portion side wall and adjacent to and communicating with said plug element,l a hammer in said compartment capable of striking said percussion cap when said plug element is removed 'from the chamber of said housing, and a spring means for yieldingly forcing said hammer toward said percussion cap.

- WALLACE F. ROUSE. 

